Chapter 403: Chapter 253: If I Say You Can, You Can

Fang Zhen understood the King’s intentions after reading it.

The so-called "special envoy" was actually a negotiating team, sent to represent the King and hash out a deal with Fang Zhen.

According to common practice, this kind of negotiating team would tailor their approach to the person. If they thought Fang Zhen was easy to fool, they would play up their royal authority, trying to get something from him for nothing. But if Fang Zhen proved to be a tough negotiator, they would take a different approach.

But in any case, the fact that the King hadn’t explicitly opposed Fang Zhen’s occupation of the Tarrenno and Balenzuo duchies was advantageous for him.

When Keton, Tahar, and the others learned this news, their morale received a significant boost.

At the very least, they no longer had to worry about the King invalidating everything Fang Zhen had built, which meant they wouldn’t have to fundamentally stand against the established law and the King.

After receiving this news, Fang Zhen began planning his next steps.

It would take at least half a month, maybe even a full month, for the King’s special envoy to arrive, as their route had to bypass Duke Sith’s territory.

The envoy’s arrival would likely fall within the timeframe of the next instance dungeon mission.

Fang Zhen left most of the soldiers from the original Balenzuo Legion in Viscount Keton’s Territory. He took direct command of the Augustus Army and set out for Ashton.

...

Two and a half days later, Fang Zhen’s troops returned to the Ashton Territory. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

After seeing his troops encamped, he rode with Matthew and Agatha to Ashton Castle.

Upon entering the castle, Fang Zhen soon saw Dalia hurrying toward him, lifting the hem of her noble’s long gown and taking quick, small steps.

Upon seeing Fang Zhen, Dalia couldn’t restrain her emotions and suddenly threw herself into his arms, embracing him.

Fang Zhen smiled and returned the embrace, but he was wearing his Feather-Steel Wall armor. Beneath the full plate, he couldn’t feel Dalia’s warmth or soft touch.

This experience made Fang Zhen laugh suddenly. ’Does this count as that internet saying? "When I put on my armor, I cannot hold you. When I take it off, I cannot protect you."’

Of course, this was just Fang Zhen amusing himself with the thought; he wasn’t that sentimental.

Dalia hugged him for a moment before suddenly feeling she had been a bit unseemly. Only then did she release him, trying her best to regain the composure of a noble lady.

Matthew and Agatha, standing behind them, were very cooperative. Matthew turned his head away, muttering as if contemplating some theological problem. Agatha stared intently at the wall, as if trying to discern the answer to some profound mystery from the patterns on the stone corridor.

Fang Zhen took off his armored gauntlets and grasped Dalia’s hand.

The sensation was instantly soft and warm.

"I’ve heard so many rumors... about war, and other dangerous things. You must have gone through so much again, haven’t you?" Dalia asked, her expression full of concern.

"A lot has happened recently," Fang Zhen said. "I’ll tell you all about it slowly."

Fang Zhen and Dalia started talking, and as they talked, they somehow ended up in Dalia’s bedroom.

Reunions after a short separation are said to be sweeter than a honeymoon.

By the time they emerged, three or four hours had passed, and it was time for dinner.

Inside Ashton Castle, Fang Zhen held a small banquet with his people.

The ingredients for dinner were well-prepared, and everything was fresh.

The quality of a noble’s diet can vary greatly, depending mainly on the ingredients and the chef. Often, a good cook could significantly improve a noble’s quality of life.

The chef at Ashton Castle was quite skilled. Today’s meal featured boneless crispy fish, garlic beef cubes, sausage, and roast chicken, along with some side dishes. Although it lacked the rich flavors of the myriad spices from his time, the food’s strength was in its original, authentic taste, which was quite delicious.

At the dinner table, Fang Zhen told Dalia about recent events.

"So, you’re waiting for the King’s special envoy to come to the Ashton Territory?" Dalia asked.

Fang Zhen nodded. "In terms of pure strength, I can now go head-to-head with Duke Sith and the King’s Army. However, the King at least holds the greatest claim to legitimacy. Until he is completely overthrown, he can still influence nobles throughout the land. And even while Duke Sith is in a standoff with the King, he has to spend extra effort suppressing his own nobles to keep his vassals from getting any funny ideas."

"In this situation, Sith can only bring about seventy percent of his total strength to bear. It’s highly unlikely he has the power or the courage to fight a war on two fronts simultaneously. And he should know this as well."

"Therefore, the Ashton Territory is relatively safe for now. I’ve also garrisoned five thousand troops here, and in terms of supplies, I can be self-sufficient for the time being."

"Once the farmers have their spring harvest, I can purchase the grain here. With a stable supply of resources, the two duchies will gradually be unified within two to three months."

Hearing this, Dalia’s eyes lit up with a brilliant light. Her gaze on Fang Zhen was exceptionally gentle as she stared, completely captivated, at his side profile. Her eyes seemed to trail after him, full of adoration.

Fang Zhen noticed all of this, but he also felt it was perfectly normal.

’In truth, after dealing with women for a long time, you realize something: they have always admired the strong, especially those stronger than themselves. They despise the weak. Even if a man is very good to them, as long as they perceive him as weak, a woman simply can’t muster any interest.’